Vaccinating method and means



J. M, ISTURIZ VACCINATING METHOD AND MEANS Sept. 27, 1938.

Filed Oct. 12, 1937 Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES VACCINATING METHOD AND MEANS Jesus Maria Isturiz, Caracas, Venezuela 7 Application October 12, 1937, Serial No. 168,649

In Venezuela June 28, 1937 8 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved technique and apparatus through which successive vaccinations against smallpoxmay be effected upon large numbers of persons, with great rapidity, without pain to the individual and with absolute safety against the infection of one person from another. My invention is especially useful in armies or in times of smallpox epidemics.

These and other advantages of my method and apparatus will be best appreciated by a consideration of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the several elements of my apparatus assembled in a carrying case from which the cover has been removed;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through one corner of the point sterilizer;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View through the point gripping and manipulating holder or carrier, hereinafter described;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the chuck of the holder, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end views of one of the special vaccine points hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Broadly stated, the invention contemplates the use of a large number of special vaccine points, a sterilizing container in which a multiplicity of the special points may be sterilized simultaneously by immersion in boiling water, by being subjected to flame, by immersion in a suitable sterilizing solution, or otherwise.

The sterilizer is constructed 'to hold the special vaccine points with their shanks disposed upwardly and in such position that they may be quickly engaged by the gripping chuck of the holder. Each special vaccine point comprises a shank 5, a disk-like head 6, and a preferably roughened point 1 which projects forwardly of head 6.

The shanks 5 are dimensioned to be gripped firmly by the spring chuck 8 of a pencil-like holder or carrier. This holder comprises an outer shell 9 in which a plunger I9 is slidably mounted. A shank H is connected to the inner end of the plunger, and a spring 12 bears between the plunger and a shoulder I3 on shell 9.

This spring thrusts the plunger to the left in Fig. 3 and thus moves the chuck jaws l4 of shank II toward each other under the action of the beveled end l5 of shell 9. The chuck jaws are provided with inclined faces It for coaction with the said end l5 of the shell, and they are of resilient metal and tend to spring apart when moved to the right in Fig. 3. The holder when held like a pencil may be caused to quickly pick up the vaccinepoints and as quickly release them after use.

In actual practice, the physician applies to the epidermis'of the patient a small amount of vaccine virus; at a point previously cleansed by Washing or sterilizing. Hethen draws one of the vaccine points, gripped inthe holder, firmly across a small portion ofthe. epidermis at the point where the virus is located. The action ofpoint l is that of a positive friction upon the epidermis, but there is no cutting of the skin, no blood-letting, andno pain. a

After a point has been used once it is not used again until it has been sterilized. Used points may be dropped into the box I! and there collected until a convenient time when they are placed in the sterilizing container and sterilized by boiling, flame or otherwise.

The container comprises a metallic block l8, having a large number of pockets l9 therein in which the points rest with the shanksuppermost. The physician picks these sterilized points out of the pockets with the pencil-like holder, one after the other, as fast as he can draw a point across the virus impregnated epidermis of a patient. Despite the rapidity of the procedure, there is no danger of infection by one patient from another,

I because a separate point is used for each patient.

The sterilizer block l8, box I! and pencil-like holder may all be assembled in a carrying case 20, as shown in Fig. l. Handles, 2|, provide means for lifting the sterilizer block from the boiling water or other sterilizing medium.

The disk 6 acts as a limiting medium to limit the action of point T to a mere frictional pressure upon the epidermis, not severe enough to cause penetration nor any appreciable pain.

'However, I have found this to be suflicient to cause the virus to take. Since no pain is caused, children do not resist vaccination by my method as is the case with all other methods with which I am familiar.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a vaccine point comprising a shank, a transversely enlarged part near the lower end of the shank adapted to support the vaccine point with its shank in a vertical position, and a projection beyond the enlarged part shaped, when drawn across the epidermis, to frictinally impress into the said epidermis a previously applied vaccine virus, and a holder comprising a clutch adapted to engage said vertically disposed shank and manipulated by the same hand in which the clutch is held during the vaccine operation.

2. A vaccine point consisting of an integral metal member comprising a shank, a transversely enlarged head adjacent one end of the shank, and a projection upon the outer face of the head having a roughened face for the purpose set forth.

3. A vaccine point consisting of an integral metal member comprising a shank, a transversely enlarged disk adjacent one end of the shank, and a conical projection upon the outer face of the disk;

4. A vaccine point consisting of an integral metal member comprising a shank, a transversely enlarged disk adjacent one end of the shank, and a conical projection upon the outer face of the disk having a roughened face adapted to frictionally impress into the epidermis without penetration of the same when the outer face of the disk is thrust against the epidermis.

5. A vaccine point consisting of an integral metal member comprising a shank, a transversely enlarged disk adjacent one end of the shank, and a conical projection upon the outer face of the disk having a roughened face adapted to frictionally impress into the epidermis without penetration of the same when the outer face of the vided with a plurality of receptacles for vaccine points, said receptacles being of such shape with respect to the shape of the vaccine points as to hold the vaccine points in a vertical position with their shanks uppermost.

7. The combination with a vaccine point of the character recited in claim 5, of a sterilizing receptacle comprising a part having a plane upper face surrounding an opening, the said opening being larger than the projection of the point but smaller than the disk, so that when a point is placed in said sterilizing receptacle, the plane outer face of the disk rests upon the plane face ofthe receptacle, and the projection is received in said opening and the point is supported with the shank upstanding.

8. The combination with a vaccine point of the character recited in claim 5, of a sterilizing receptacle comprising a part having a plane upper face surrounding an opening, the said opening being larger than the projection of the point but smaller than the disk, so that when a point is placed in said sterilizing receptacle, the plane outer face of the disk rests upon the plane face of the receptacle, and the projection is received in said opening and the point is supported with the shank upstanding, and a pencil-like holder having a chuck shaped and dimensioned to engage said shank, said chuck being manipulatable to grasp or release the shank of a vaccine point through the action of the same hand that holds the holder.

' JESUS MARIA ISTURIZ. 

